Archive for the 'Elections' Tag Under 'Letters To The Editor' Category

FILE - In this July 24, 2005 file photo, Luke Armstrong, rear right, tries to touch the winner's trophy held by his father, Lance Armstrong, after Armstrong won his seventh straight Tour de France cycling race, in Paris. During the second part Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, of Oprah Winfrey's interview with Armstrong, Armstrong talked about talking with Luke after his son had defended him concerning doping allegations. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

BEVERLY HILLS, Alexander Nevsky, Mr. Universe 2010-2012: A spotlight was shone this month on the harmful practice of steroid use during Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah Winfrey, where he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in all seven of his Tour de France victories.

For an adult, the use of steroids is dangerous. For youth who are still growing and developing, steroid use can be devastating.

In 1993, a top Russian TV channel produced and aired a documentary, introducing me as a natural, drug-free bodybuilder. Since that initial exposure and publicity, I have used every interview and public appearance to articulate my anti-steroid message and have parlayed it into a 20-year, international anti-steroids campaign.

It is well-documented, through reputable medical studies, that anabolic steroids can cause many serious health risks, including kidney failure, liver damage and high risk of stroke and heart attack (even in young people). While adults can be expected to be informed about these potential dangers, younger users are unlikely to fully understand, or give credence to, the grave consequences.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Barry Wasserman: It is not a fact that the circumstance of an egg and a sperm uniting constitutes a child or that it should be given all the rights the Constitution allows. Letter-writer R. Claire Friend states, “Very little has been written about the cultural, much less the psychological, effects of the killing of one's own unborn infant” [“Abortion debate,” Letters, Jan. 21]. Friend also argues there has been a decrease in marriage and motherhood and an increase in child abuse, divorce and drugs.

I submit the fact that there has been a liberalization of morality accompanied with the women's liberation movement and lessening of the stigma previously associated with what we use to call unacceptable behavior. With the advent of prophylactic means to prevent pregnancy and various uterine devices, along with the morning-after pill to prevent indiscretions of sex, culture has changed.

Many teenagers have gotten pregnant as a result of puppy love and raging hormones. To saddle a minor with a child to care for by herself or by her family is often a cruel fate – for they are nothing more than children themselves. Sometimes it works out that the children's parents are able to do so adequately without government assistance – but not often. We have to ask ourselves how much government intervention we want on this issue.

There are no definitive solutions. Unfortunately, morality and scruples are never going back to the 1950s or earlier. Overturning Roe v. Wade would be catastrophic.

Presidential candidate Ron Paul speaks to a crowd of about 4,000 supporters during a campaign stop at Cal State Fullerton Wednesday, April 2, 2012. (Register photo)

SANTA ANA, Timothy C. Mason: While most Americans are following and being mislead about the fiscal cliff, we are losing 12-term Rep. Ron Paul to retirement. A great loss to all Americans who understand what the “role of government” is under constitutional law. Paul has always honored the oath of office to uphold the Constitution while serving in Congress (sadly while most other members serve political parties or special interests).

In the early 1960s Paul earned a medical degree and served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force for five years. After military service Paul opened a medical practice and delivered more than 4,000 babies. Because of Paul's consistency of upholding the Constitution and refusing to “go along” with the bipartisan members and “compromising” our Constitution to pass “illegal” laws and spending bills. He is known as “Dr. No” on the House floor.

We need a lot more like him.

A quote from Paul sums up a “major” problem we face in America today. “Truth is treason in the empire of lies.”

FULLERTON, Chris Norby, Former state assemblyman for the 72nd Assembly District. I recently ended my service to my constituents in the California State Assembly. My 72nd District included Fullerton, Brea, Placentia, Yorba Linda and parts of Anaheim, La Habra and Orange.

Redistricting made re-election this year more difficult, and a tidal wave of money and negative mail narrowly ended my tenure. I've been in negative campaigns before, but this was the first one devoid of any exchange of ideas or give-and-take public forums. Voters and community groups never got to compare directly the candidates' actual ideas, rather than just the formulaic hit mailers from PACs.

All this money showed the Democrats were dead serious about carrying this seat, while many O.C. Republican were distracted by the presidential race and statewide propositions. Their new two-thirds legislative majorities means payback to the public employee unions who financed their victories.

Despite this setback, fortune and circumstances have blessed me throughout my political career in city, county and state government. It was timely to be in the Assembly when California's redevelopment agencies were finally phased out. Once a tool for revitalization, they had largely become a cash cow for corporate welfare and crony capitalism while abusing eminent domain and draining local services.

President Barack Obama speaks on ongoing "fiscal cliff" negotiations with Republican members of Congress following an announcement on gun reform in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House Dec. 19, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

FULLERTON, Joe Weston: It is time for a serious, broad-based third party to develop in the United States. The two-party system has transformed national governance into something like a football game, with a red team and a blue team, in which two entrenched viewpoints battle in a “them” versus “us” contest with little opportunity for ideas beyond the predisposed opinions of the opponents.

The influence of a third party could help guide deliberations and form coalitions around ideas and concepts to solve problems based upon national need, instead of following rigid allegiance to party dogma, irrespective of the national need.

Great resistance to this idea would be expressed by all who benefit from the status quo. But moderate members of Congress could come together to commence the slow process to establish the third party.

Since the two-party system is neither pre-ordained nor established in our founding documents, the only real roadblocks to developing a major third party are sloth, fear and familiar comfort with the current patterns of political organization.

FILE - In a Feb. 14, 1984 file photo, President Ronald Reagan, center, King Hussein of Jordan, left, and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt walk along the colonnades at the White House. Egypt's vice president says Mubarak resigned on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011 as president and handed control to the military. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File)

IRVINE, Cameron Jackson: California Republicans, as well as those in Orange County, have declined in voter registration. Republican registration has dropped below 30 percent statewide and down to 41.5 percent from 55.6 percent in Orange County. In light of these numbers it should be no surprise that Republicans are losing voters given how the O.C. GOP leaders squandered the fortunes of the Reagan revolution.

The 1980s were a great time for America and for Republicans. We learned conservative ideals from a great leader, Ronald Reagan. His policies reduced regulation and taxation, while strengthening American foreign policy. We flourished in ways never imagined, given the 1970s morass.

Here in Orange County a new breed of Republicans was born. The likes of Michael Schroeder and Scott Baugh became king makers. They wrapped themselves in the American flag and spouted conservative talking points.

Solid majorities and unbeatable candidates willing to tow the party line at any costs validated Schroeder and Baugh's power politics.

Gov. Jerry Brown, who supported Prop.30, speaks at the University of California Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. Brown is set to make his first appearance where he's expected to urge UC officials to control costs and avoid raising tuition. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

MISSION VIEJO, Erik Wendehost: L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa misses a clear point in his column, “Time to invest in the future” [Opinion, Nov. 13]. He extolled the virtues of Proposition 30, which passed 54 percent to 46 percent, but why was the voting so close? Why wasn't it 80 percent to 20 percent or 90 percent to 10 percent?

The rich are clearly outnumbered by an electorate who can vote themselves benefits through increased taxes on this small population. The vote was closer because many Californians realized that raising taxes on job creators or investors means less growth for the economy.

The incentive to economically overachieve diminishes as both California and our federal government increase taxes on this same small population segment that will change its habits and adapt to the changing environment. This will not increase gross domestic product but will likely stunt growth as investments and purchases are curtailed. Holding public education hostage for these increases was deplorable and scared the electorate into submission.

I also wonder what he means by reforming Prop. 13. Perhaps a reset in all property taxes so the government can gain even more tax revenue to build trains and provide more services used by many but funded by few?

Business burdens

ILE - In this March 28, 2012 file photo, supporters of health care reform rally in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on the final day of arguments regarding the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. America's decision to re-elect President Barack Obama over Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will impact key sectors of the American economy. The President's victory preserves his health care overhaul, which aims to cover millions of uninsured Americans (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

LAGUNA WOODS, Andy Allaire: Having watched the people of this country tell us what they want, I suggest that they will get what they want plus a whole lot more. Obamacare is now the official health care policy of this country, and by the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014 you will find that employers are going to do one of two things. They will either reduce the majority of their workforces to part-time status (in order to avoid dramatically higher costs) or tell their employees that they will no longer provide health care coverage of any kind to the employees.

As a former businessman, I can tell you those kind of decisions are necessary for the health of the business. It is not personal, but a business decision. Business owners will pay a lesser penalty to the government rather than pay the higher premiums that will occur.

Obamacare will drastically change the way Medicare is provided in this country. The cuts to Medicare are real cuts, and hospitals and doctors will not provide the services they have been providing at a drastically reduced return.

The domed roof of an old ballet school stands abandoned in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Carlos Acosta, a 39-year-old celebrity ballet star from Cuba, pledges to raise millions of dollars to rescue the ruins of the architectural masterpiece that was abandoned in mid-construction five decades ago and turn it into an international center for culture and dance. (AP Photo/Franklin Reyes)

WESTMINSTER, Alberto Araoz: As an immigrant to the best country in the world who came from communist Cuba, I really understand what freedom is all about. After watching this election, I am extremely disappointed with what I see as a takeover of this great country by progressive socialists. I believe the voters are going to find out what freedom really is. One doesn't seem to appreciate what they have until they lose it.

What I heard on the radio recently is true: You can't run against Santa Claus; you will lose every time.

In Cuba 80 percent of the people work for the government; and, as you can see, everything is falling apart. There are shortages of food for the common people but not for the tourists and the communist party elites.

When you go to the grocery store to buy groceries, don't think for a minute that it is like in the U.S. In Cuba, you must have a “libreta” or book of the items that you are allowed to purchase (which you hope they will have when you get there). For example, you are allowed to purchase 8 ounces of oil and 10 ounces of beans per person for a month, one package of pasta every three months and you are only able to purchase milk if you have children in your home. The government is also able to come into your house and break any incandescent light bulb you have right in front of you and your family.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 09: U.S. President Barack Obama (C) holds up a pen while speaking to the media in the East Room of the White House, as Vice President Joe Biden (L) listens on November 9,

IRVINE, Shiva Farivar: In his victory speech President Barack Obama spoke very graciously of Mitt Romney and his family and praised them for their dedication and commitment to our nation. He also said that in the coming weeks and months ahead, he would reach out to his one-time opponent to listen to his ideas.

While candidate Romney mocked the idea of “secretary of business” that the president had mentioned during the campaign, Obama could display of boldness and bipartisanship if he actually did create such a position and selected Mr. Romney to fill it.

Unlike the relentless shifts of positions on issues that characterized Romney's campaign, the one constant theme that prevailed was his experience as a businessman and job creator, which he bet his whole campaign on.

As secretary of business, Gov. Romney could prove his ability to create jobs for the nation and be of service to his country. Equally important, Obama could prove his willingness to work across the aisle in the most obvious manner and display his generosity like no predecessor ever has. Both men would be well-served and so would America. In my opinion, this bold step would truly blend the colors of red and blue into purple.

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